“As photographers, curators or critics, we can move from thinking about photography to thinking about the world differently, and, indeed reconsidering our place and contribution. Not only do we want to ask how photographs operate, we also want to ask how photography can be used to resist dominant structures and practices.”

Biographical Information Born in London 1948, Currently lives in DevonBA in Sociology/Social Administration (University of Bristol)Postgraduate Diploma, Film (Polytechnic of Central London)MA Visual Culture (Bath College of Higher Education)

Liz Wells writes and lectures on photography and it's history, theory, and the medium. In many of her lectures and books she stages a dialogue between herself and iconic writers on photography such as Susan Sontag, Baudelaire, Roland Barthes, and Walter Benjamin. Wells believes her curating is an ongoing practice that allows her to think through and communicate what she and other artists are (in the moment) feeling strongly about. Wells emphasizes her love for studio visits with artists, as she can better gain insight into their practice of brainstorming, pre-conceptualization, and editing while building a different type of necessary trust.

Major Contributions to the field of Curatorial Practice:Wells has made a specific place in contemporary photography for women photographers in the field of landscape photography with her book and curated exhibition Shifting Horizons: Women's Landscape Photography from 2000 and 2001. She has also curated a number of exhibitions on environment, landscape, and land through photography and other media exploring art's role in environmental trauma and debate. Exhibitions such as Futureland Now and Sense of Place display various visual interpretation of the landscape reflecting political, environmental, and social conditions.

Wells believes group and curatorial themed exhibitions allow for a dialogue that resonates and contributes to the quality of audience engagement. She has a significant way of working with two or more artists on a show and using the physical gallery space to have the artists work relate to one another. Often displayed with the artists work intertwined on the walls, the individuals work becomes less critical and the theme, such as the environment, landscape, and international nature conditions, becomes more evident and momentous.

WHAT ARE CURATOR CARDS?

These Curator Cards began in Maryland Institute College of Art's inaugural Curatorial Practice MFA as a project for Interdisciplinary Approaches to Curatorial Practice (IACP) taught by Marcus Civin. This class focuses on revealing the history of curatorial practice by analyzing influential curators and exhibitions. The curator cards continue...

Together, a mix of students choose curators that spark their interest and create Curator Cards based on their research.

Please note that all of this information is strictly for educational purposes. If there are any additions, comments or concerns please contact us.